Article medically reviewed by Dr. Gavin Chan (MBBS, cosmetic physician, liposuctionist)

Templestowe Lower and Berwick Clinics
Dr. Gavin Chan has a background in intensive care, anaesthesia, and emergency medicine. Since 2004, Dr. Chan has provided cosmetic procedures, including anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, liposuction, fat transfer, skin needling, and laser treatments. He is a doctor trainer for various dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections.
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Question:
Hi,
I definitely would be interested in getting laser hair removal for my sides (face); however, what gets me wondering is do these lasers cause any harm to the face? Do they cause wrinkles, etc?
Answer:
Laser hair removal does not cause wrinkles or any harm to the skin when done correctly. The laser energy is primarily absorbed by the melanin in the hair. Some of the skin does absorb this laser energy, but this is a negligible amount, leading to no change in the skin. Done improperly or at too high levels however, there is a risk of change in the colour of the skin (becoming darker or lighter), and scarring. This is an unlikely event. Our medical practitioners supervise all treatments, and we only use the latest laser hair removal machines. This helps to reduce the risk of skin problems and complications. As an aside, the same laser that removes hair can be used at higher settings to reduce wrinkles and improve skin tone.